iPad: The ultimate guide

Rene Ritchie has been covering the personal technology industry for almost a decade. Editorial Director at Mobile Nations, analyst at iMore, video and podcast host, you can follow him @reneritchie on Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter.

Everything you need to know about iPad Pro, iPad, and iPad mini!

A touch-enabled web reader. An internet TV. And a gaming console. Are you getting it yet? OK. Steve Jobs never said that, but what Apple's famed co-founder did say was that there was room between the iPhone and the MacBook for a third category of device. And that device is iPad.

While some consider the iPad market beleaguered, Apple keeps selling them by the tens of millions. More than Macs. More than PCs. More than almost anything else on the planet, except of course, for iPhone.

Buying your iPad

If you're still on the fence about which iPad to buy — or which iPad to upgrade to — Apple's made the choices slightly easier this year. The updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro (which replaces the previous 9.7-inch iPad Pro) are identical in everything but display size and variety of finishes. (The 12.9-inch model lacks the rose gold option). Both have 120 Hz ProMotion displays, A10X processors, and support for Smart Connector and Apple Pencil.

The new 9.7-inch iPad doesn't have the "pro" display or features, but is least expensive full-sized iPad Apple's ever made. And there's iPad mini 4, which condenses the iPad experience down to 7.9-inches. Then, of course, there are colors, capacities, and things like AppleCare+ to consider.

Using your iPad

Just get a new iPad? Then your next step is setting it up and getting started with it. Whether that means configuring it from scratch or restoring it from backup, moving your data over from an iPhone, Android tablet, or PC, or digging into all the features, the fun starts there. Safari, iBooks, TV, Photo Booth, it's all ready and waiting for you.